If you’re like most parents, you’re busy. You have work, soccer practice, music lessons, and a million other things on your plate, especially at the beginning of a new year. However, there’s one thing you shouldn’t forget to get done early: your child’s dental checkup and cleaning. Why is it so important to get this visit done sooner rather than later?
In this post, you’ll learn four reasons and understand the importance of these dental appointments!
Take Advantage of Your Insurance Benefits
If you have dental insurance benefits, you definitely want to make sure your child sees their dentist at least twice this calendar year. Typically, two preventive visits are mostly, if not completely, covered—which means you’ll likely pay nothing out-of-pocket.
These appointments usually occur six months apart, meaning that if you want to use your benefits to the fullest, you need to have one done by June. In other words, you can’t wait until the last moment to have both of them. By scheduling your child’s first appointment early in the year, you provide plenty of time to complete the second before December 31.
Catch Cavities Early
In addition to a thorough dental cleaning, this biannual appointment involves the dentist examining your child’s mouth for any sign of decay or infection. In fact, the pediatric dentist can identify a cavity that is just starting to form, even if your child doesn’t feel anything.
As a result, they can address the tooth decay long before it has a chance to cause your child pain and before it requires more invasive and expensive treatment.
Prevent Tooth Pain
Did you know that when a child experiences tooth pain, it can affect them mentally, socially, and academically? Studies have found that children with poor oral health tend to get lower grades than those with good oral health. When you think about it, it makes perfect sense. If your child experiences tooth pain, they aren’t able to focus on their studies. They are also more likely to miss valuable class time in the dentist’s office.
Enjoy a Year of Happy Smiles
Going to the dentist regularly doesn’t automatically guarantee that your child will have no dental problems at all this year. After all, at-home hygiene plays another significant role, and sometimes dental emergencies happen, but these appointments go a long way to protect your child’s teeth from future decay.
When your child doesn’t have cavities or other oral problems to deal with, they can feel more confident in themselves and focus on having fun. As a result, you can enjoy looking at your favorite smile more often!
As busy as your schedule may be, make sure you create time to get your child’s first dental visit taken care of early this year. You both can be glad you got it done and move on to the next thing on your list!
About the Author
Dr. J. Patrick Bowman, or Dr. Patrick, is a board-certified pediatric dentist who has advanced training in the growth and development of children, general anesthesia, and behavioral management. In other words, he excels at working with kids! In his care, young patients can find an understanding dentist who makes dental visits fun and stress free. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Patrick, reach out to his practice, Wash Park Pediatric Dentistry, in Denver by going online or calling 720-647-6310.